TAKES OATH—James A. Morrison of Peshtigo was ceremoniously sworn in as judge for Marinette County Circuit Court, Branch II at an investiture ceremony Friday, May 4 at the Marinette County Courthouse. Wisconsin Su-preme Court Justice Patience Roggensack administered the oath of office while Judge Morrison’s wife, Barb, held the Bible. Pictured left to right are Judge Morrison, Judge Michael Judge of Oconto County, Barbara Morrison and Justice Patience Roggensack

James Morrison Formally Invested As Marinette Circuit Court Judge

A standing-room only crowd of over 200 persons witnessed the formal investiture ceremony of James A. Morrison as Judge of Marinette County Circuit Court, Branch II at 4 p.m. Friday, May 4 in the County Board Chambers at Marinette County Courthouse. Oath of office was administered by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Patience Roggensack.

Morrison, appointed by Gov. Scott Walker to fill the Circuit Court position vacated by the retirement of Judge Tim Duket, has been handling judicial duties since March 12 but had not been formally invested.

Immediately after the oath, the new judge’s children, Sara Masarik, Amy Morrison and James Morrison, presented their father with his official robe of office.

Before turning the gavel of Marinette County Circuit Court Branch II over to his successor, Duket said he had known Morrison for more than 30 years. He described him as a good person and expressed confidence he will be a great judge. He said it had been a pleasure working with Morrison during the transition period.

Master of Ceremonies for the event was the Honorable Michael T. Judge, Oconto County Circuit Court judge and Deputy Chief Judge for the Eighth Judicial District. Judge spoke of the importance of the event for Morrison and his family and all the residents of the county, and said the Founding Fathers recognized the impartial, expeditious administration of justice in state courts as “the cement for the foundation of our new republic.”

The program was convened by Deputy Jason Ducane of Marinette County Sheriff’s Department, and colors were presented by a combined color guard from the Marinette County Sheriff Department and City of Marinette Police Department. Mollie Groetz sang the National Anthem. Invocation was offered by Father Joseph Dorner of Holy Family Parish, Marinette, and Marinette County Administrator Ellen Sorensen gave the welcome.

John Gard, former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly and a close friend of Morrison, led off a list of guest speakers that included Paula Langteau, Dean of UW-Marinette; Phil G. Eisenach, retired businessman and a Morrison client for many years; the Honorable Charles Constantine, current Racine County Circuit Judge and former chair of the Board of Bar Examiners; Professor Daniel Blinka, professor of law at Marquette University Law School and current chair of the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners, and Morrison’s wife, Attorney Barbara Morrison.

Gard said of Morrison, “I have absolute confidence and faith in Jim’s understanding of the constitution. For my taste, I think there are too many activist judges in this country ...I believe that Jim is a person who totally gets what I think the forefathers intended.”

Langteau said she first met Morrison when he was president of the university committee that interviewed her before she was hired, “and learned first hand that he asks the tough questions.”

Constantine described Morrison as a person with an innate sense of fairness. Blinka called him “a decent, honorable man, who cares about people - those he knows and most important, those he does not know. People appearing before him will be treated fairly, with dignity, and the case will be decided according to the law.”

Barbara Morrison said her husband of 41 years is a man who can be counted on in a crisis.

John Nygren of Marinette, Representative to the State Assembly, introduced Justice Roggensack to administer the judicial oath.

After being officially sworn in, Morrison spoke of his parents and said he knew they were present in spirit, and thanked the highly supportive friends and coworkers who have worked with him during his more than 40 years as a lawyer, and in conclusion declared, “It is my honor to be a Marinette County Circuit Court Judge, and it is my responsibility to never forget that it is the job that is very important, not the occupant.”

Benediction was offered by Jerome Finn. Belinda Seefeldt, Circuit Court Branch II Reporter served as official event reporter . Amy Morrison served as Cantor for singing of America the Beautiful at the conclusion of the investiture ceremonies, with the audience joining in for final two verses.

The room was filled with dignitaries from the judicial world, among them two other Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices, David T. Prosser and Michael Gableman, in addition to Roggensack; Eighth District Chief Judge John Zuidmulder and Eighth District Court Administrator John Powell; Oconto County Judge Jay Conley; Door County Judge Todd Ehlers; Brown County Judges John Zakowski and Tammy Jo Hoch; Racine County Judge Charles Constantine; Shawano County Judge William Kussel; Judge John Voelker, director of state courts; Marinette County Family Court Commissioner Francis Boyle, Menominee County Judge William Hupy, and retired judges Duket, Larry Jeske and Charles Heath.

At a reception at the Best Western Hotel in Marinette following the formal ceremonies, well over 200 guests shared hors d’ouvres, beverages, congratulations and reminiscences in honor of Morrison’s new role as a judge in Wisconsin’s legal system.

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